Review ~ The Thief's Daughter by Victoria Cornwall

Choc Lit
2017

What's it all about..

Eighteenth-century Cornwall is crippled by debt and poverty, while the gibbet casts a shadow of fear over the land. Yet, when night falls, free traders swarm onto the beaches and smuggling prospers.

Terrified by a thief-taker’s warning as a child, Jenna has resolved to be good. When her brother, Silas, asks for her help to pay his creditors, Jenna feels unable to refuse and finds herself entering the dangerous world of the smuggling trade.

Jack Penhale hunts down the smuggling gangs in revenge for his father’s death. Drawn to Jenna at a hiring fayre, they discover their lives are entangled. But as Jenna struggles to decide where her allegiances lie, the worlds of justice and crime collide, leading to danger and heartache for all concerned

What did I think about it..

There's something about a story set in eighteenth-century Cornwall that continues to appeal to me. I think it harks back to the days, when as a teenager, I devoured the Cornish family sagas by Susan Howatch and of course, the Poldark novels by Winston Graham. So, to have the opportunity to support a debut author, with a similar story set in Cornwall appealed to me right from the start.

Multi layered and exciting The Thief's Daughter is one of those sweeping Cornish sagas that immediately whisks you back in time to a bygone age when deadly feuds existed and where danger lurked on every corner. Smugglers, thieves and vagabonds conceal their secrets in hidden coves and the wild and rugged scenery combine to bring alive the jagged Cornish landscape of two hundred years ago.

The author has done a great job of telling creative historical fiction. I really enjoyed getting to know Jenna, the eponymous thief’s daughter, and also watching how her relationship with the charismatic, Jack Penhale, played out in the wider scheme of the story. The history feels authentic and there is a good sense of atmosphere which conjures the wild beauty of Cornwall, so that it becomes easy to place yourself there in the eighteenth century. The characterisation is strong and nicely developed, and the plot ,at the centre of the story, is both exciting and believable.

All in all, a good debut from a talented new writer. 

Best Read With..a calorie -laden Cornish cream tea, heavy on the jam and cream

About the Author

Victoria Cornwall grew up on a farm in Cornwall. She can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century and it is this background and heritage which is the inspiration for her Cornish based novels.

Find on Twitter @VickieCornwall

Goodreads

 My thanks to the author for sharing her story with me

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Review ~ Another You by Jane Cable

Endeavour Press
2017

What's it all about..

When the present is unbearable, can you be saved by the past?

Marie Johnson is trapped by her job as a chef in a Dorset pub and by her increasingly poisonous marriage to its landlord. Worn down by his string of affairs she has no self-confidence, no self-respect and the only thing that keeps her going is watching her son turn into a talented artist.

But the sixtieth anniversary of a D-Day exercise which ended in disaster triggers chance meetings which prove unlikely catalysts for change as Marie discovers that sometimes the hardest person to save is yourself.

What did I think about it ..

Marie Johnson cuts rather a solitary figure and is often to be found walking the headland, near to her home, in Studland Bay. Often lost in her own thoughts, Marie has much to consider, not just about her life and destructive marriage, but also about what she wants for herself and her son, Jude. And as she watches the preparations take place on the beach below for the sixtieth anniversary of a D-Day exercise, Marie gets caught up in the excitement of the commemoration, and also in the history of what happened sixty years ago during World War Two.

As always, this clever author gets right into the emotional heart of a story which looks at all the complexities of living life both in the here and now, and also of the repercussions of the past, which, at times, threatens to overshadow the future. The story is beautifully atmospheric, with lots of enticing threads and thought-provoking layers. I enjoyed seeing how the story played out in the wider context, and of how Marie’s rather lonely character developed and changed as the story progressed. Setting Another You with the stunning Studland Bay as its backdrop allows the author to give full rein to her descriptive talents. It is obvious that a great deal of historical research has been done in order to give the WW2 element such an authentic feel, and as the story progresses both time and place really start to come alive in the imagination.

This is now the third book I have had the pleasure to read by this talented author and I can say that I have enjoyed them all immensely. Jane Cable writes with such passion and love for her subject that each story is a real joy to read.

Best Read with..a sausage butty and a strong cup of tea..

About the author

Jane Cable writes romance stories with a strong element of mystery and suspense. Her first novel, The Cheesemaker’s House, was a finalist in The Alan Titchmarsh Show’s People’s Novelist competition and won the Words for the Wounded Independent Book of the Year Award in 2015

More about the author can be found on her website by clicking here  or on Facebook by clicking here 

Follow on Twitter @JaneCable 

Another You is published by Endeavour Press

Read an interview by the author by clicking here.

My thanks to the author for providing a review copy of Another You

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Review ~ Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

Arrow
December 2016

What's it all about ..

You’ve been hold captive in one room.

You’ve been mentally and physically abused every day since you were sixteen years old.

Then, one night, you realise your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked.

For the first time in eight years you’re free.

This is what happens next.

What did I think about it..

Well, such a lot happens in this book that it really is an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning. It starts with the escape of Lily, and her daughter, Sky, from the place they have been held captive for several years. By the end of the first chapter I was already geared up for it to be a little bit predictable, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The story really takes off and leads you into some fascinating situations, all of which are delivered with a really fine eye for special little details.

To say too much about Baby Doll would really lessen the effect of reading it for yourself. In many ways, it's not a comfortable read, and as the different narrators get going, you start to see the story emerge from different perspectives, which is quite compelling. I thought Lily was a feisty and determined heroine, her love for Sky is commendable and yet, her sister, Abby's story is also equally fascinating. Rick, the man behind the abduction comes across as cold and manipulative and is every bit as dangerous as he appears. As for how the story plays out, well, that's for you to find out for yourself..

This is definitely one of those stories that stays with you for a while after you have finished reading, which can only be the sign of a good story, well told.

Best Read with...Strong tea and  a large packet of chocolate biscuits...

More About the author can be found on her website. 

Twitter @hollieoverton #BabyDollBook

This is Hollie Overton’s debut novel. She is a television writer currently working on the ABC Family and Netflix drama Shadowhunters, based on Cassie Clare’s The Mortal Instruments. Previously, Hollie has written for the CBS drama Cold Case and Lifetime’s The Client List.

My thanks to Gemma at Penguin for my review copy of Baby Doll

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Review ~ Ashes by Steven Manchester

Story Plant
February 2017

What's it all about..

Middle-aged brothers Jason and Tom Prendergast thought they were completely done with each other. Perceived betrayal had burned the bridge between them, tossing them into the icy river of estrangement. But life and death has a robust sense of irony, and when they learn that their cruel father has died and made his final request that they travel together across the country to spread his ashes, they have no choice but to spend a long, long car trip in each other s company. It s either that or lose out on the contents of the envelope he has left with his lawyer. The trip will be as gut-wrenching as each expects it to be . . . and revealing in ways neither of them is prepared for.

What did I think about it..

This is the story of two estranged brothers who, after their father's death, are brought together to undertake a road trip to fulfill their father's last request to scatter his ashes. Both men are busy with their very different lifestyles when they each receive a letter from their father's attorney informing them of their father’s passing. A condition of their father’s will is that the two of them should travel together which , it must be said, is never going to be an easy journey for either of them.

As always, this author's canny perception of the minutiae of life shines through and what then follows is a poignant, and, at times, humorous look at the frailty of human relationships. The brothers, once close, have since allowed petty indifferences to cloud their world. Ashes, sees them take the first tentative steps on a journey which makes them both re-examine everything important in their lives.

The author writes with his usual fine attention to detail, his trademark skill of strong characterisation and finely drawn observation comes across, as does his story telling ability.  As the story evolves we start to understand that there is more at stake here than just a journey. It's about the disappointment of family feuds and the danger of being too complacent when it's all too easy to stick, dogmatically, to a path without deviating. It's also about the power of family, of kinship and of the irretrievable ties that bind us all together, faults and all, and it reminds us that we are never too old to make changes.

Best Read with.. An ice cold beer, straight from the bottle..

About the Author

More about the author can be found on his website

Visit his Facebook Page

Follow on Twitter @authorSteveM

Goodreads

My thanks to the author for the invitation to read and review Ashes.

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Blog Tour ~ Boundary by Andrée A. Michaud

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting a stop on the 

Boundary Blog Tour

What's it all about..

It’s the summer of 1967. The sun shines brightly over Boundary lake, a holiday haven on the US Canadian border. Families relax in the heat, happy and carefree. Hours tick away to the sound of radios playing ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ and ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’. Children run along the beach as the heady smell of barbecues fills the air. Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, with their long, tanned legs and silky hair, relish their growing reputation as the red and blond Lolitas. Life seems idyllic. But then Zaza disappears, and the skies begin to cloud over…

What did I think about it ..

The story evolves ever so slowly, and there is much to take in, both in terms of the unfolding narration, and also in the evocative description of life in a small and rather cloistered community. Situated as it is, on the US-Canadian border, Bondrée seems to be one of those mistrustful places, filled with secrets, and dark with the menace of its past. But in the blissful summer of 1967, it is also a place where families go on holiday, and where Zaza Mulligan and Sissy Morgan, both on the cusp of young adulthood, feel free to roam. But then Zaza disappears, and everything changes.

Told from the perspective of multiple narrators, the story takes a little getting used to; both in terms of content and also in the way the plot seems to take its time in coming together. The language is redolent with meaning and I think that this is where the overall strength of the novel lies. The sense of community, the isolation and the shattering splendour of the place help to carry the story, perhaps, rather more than the plot itself.

I sometimes worry that books in translation will perhaps lack a certain je ne sais quoi, but that's not the case with Boundary, which has been beautifully translated from its original French. The unhurried nature of its action, whilst not fast paced by any means, is both intelligent and careful and nothing superfluous is allowed to spoil the impact of the story’s final conclusion.

I should point out that if you want a fast action, all guns blazing thriller then this is probably not going to work for you. However, if you want a quietly considered, beautifully descriptive novel that looks at the devastating effect of tragedy on a community then do give Bondrée a chance.

Best Read With...A Kir Royale, and the scent of raspberry jam, gently simmering..

About the Author

Andrée A. Michaud is the multi award-winning author of ten novels. Her latest work, Boundary (Bondrée) was awarded Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction and the Arthur Ellis Award for best crime novel. As she has done since her very first book, Michaud fashions an eminently personal work that never ceases to garner praise from critics and avid mystery readers alike. She lives in Canada.

About the translator

Donald Winkler is a Canadian documentary maker and Donald Winkler French-to-English literary translator. He won the Canada’s Governor General's Award for French to English translation in 1994, 2011 and 2013.

Boundary was published by No Exit Press on the 23rd March.

My thanks to Anne and No Exit Press for the invitation to be part of this blog tour

Tour runs until the 31st March #BoundaryBook

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Sunday WW1 Remembered...

Continuing my Spring Inspired WW1 Poetry 

A Girl's Song by Katharine Tynan

The Meuse and Marne have little waves;

The slender poplars o'er them lean.

One day they will forget the graves

That give the grass its living green.

Some brown French girl the rose will wear

That springs above his comely head;

Will twine it in her russet hair,

Nor wonder why it is so red.

His blood is in the rose's veins,

His hair is in the yellow corn.

My grief is in the weeping rains

And in the keening wind forlorn.

Flow softly, softly, Marne and Meuse;

Tread lightly all ye browsing sheep;

Fall tenderly, O silver dews,

For here my dear Love lies asleep.

The earth is on his sealèd eyes,

The beauty marred that was my pride;

Would I were lying where he lies,

And sleeping sweetly by his side!

The Spring will come by Meuse and Marne,

The birds be blithesome in the tree.

I heap the stones to make his cairn

Where many sleep as sound as he.

Katharine Tynan (18861-1931) was an Irish  writer and poet.

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Close to Home ...Claire Brown

As a book reviewer I have made contact with authors from all across the globe and feel immensely privileged to be able to share some amazing work. However, there is always something rather special when a book comes to my attention which has been written by an author in my part of the North of England. So with this in mind I have great pleasure in featuring some of those authors who are literally close to my home. Over the next few Saturdays, and hopefully beyond, I will be sharing the work of a very talented bunch of Northern authors and discovering just what being a Northerner means to them both in terms of inspiration and also in their writing.

Today I welcome Northern Writer


Claire Brown

Tell us a little about yourself and what got you started as an author

I've been a writer all my life, I don't remember a time when I wasn't telling stories. If there was a story I didn't like as a child, I'd write my own ending. Then if I couldn't find a book I wanted to read I started writing my own. I was also badly bullied as a child so my imagination and writing became my safe haven and a place where the characters were friends you could trust. 

Your books are written in the North of England– how have the people and its landscape shaped your stories?

I'm a bit of a people watcher, I think most writers are - maybe that should be world watches. I watch life and the people in it and sometimes they spark ideas and thoughts. My Grandfather who was Northeast born and bred is the inspiration behind my latest book, so a lot of the characteristics are based on him. Also some of the locations are based on specific spots in my home town. 

As a writer based in the North, does this ever present any problems in terms of marketing and promoting your books and if so, how do you overcome them?

I think I'm quite remote from the main publishers and areas where you could get out there and push your work physically. I can't get to a lot of writing conferences and events but I try. I think for me being able to self publish helped me get my work out there and I'm not adverse to taking untraditional routes. The internet is great and social media is a massive advantage to authors now for connecting with readers, fellow authors and I try to use it to it's best advantage - I am still learning but the internet is a great place for that too. 

If you were pitching the North as an ideal place to live, work and write – how would you sell it and what makes it so special?

It maybe cold, we may have one day of summer a year, but there is no better place in England to find a warm welcome, the people are magnetic and you will meet all kinds within a small space. You can go from being in a rural center to the rugged coast line in twenty minutes and the mythology and history is everywhere - you couldn't help but be inspired. 

Writing is a solitary business - how do you interact with other authors?

I use social media mostly - I'm a member of several writing groups / book groups for authors and readers and find it's great to connect, network and ask questions. I've met a lot of great authors who I would probably not have met in any other way and you can learn a lot from just having those brief conversations. 

How supportive are local communities to your writing, and are there ever any opportunities for book shops, local reading groups, or libraries to be involved in promoting your work?

I have support from family and friends in the area, and my day job peers have been very supportive since I started publishing my work. Unfortunately in my area our local libraries have all been closed so I tend to donate copies of my books to charity shops in the area. 

What can you tell us about your latest novel, The Poppy Garden?

I have always wanted to write a book about my Grandfather and his experience in WW2 - he was an amazing man and had an amazing story to tell. Unfortunately, he died when I was 16 and left me with a lot of blank pages in the book of his life. I tried numerous times to write his story but the blanks provide too hard to overcome, then one day I realised I was looking at the message of the story all wrong. From then on I was able to write The Poppy Garden, based on how he developed methods to cope with PTSD and how the women in my family had to develop strength and coping mechanisms to deal with hardship they never imagined. 

Claire's Nan and Grandfather's Wedding
Photo by kind permission

This became the story 

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
October 2016

Sky Flynn thought she had it all, she was the happiest she’d ever been from the moment she met Nick Robinson until the moment a military officer showed up at her door, then things changed. 

Fighting in Afghanistan Nick is injured in a roadside bombing. Brought home in critical condition, he faces a long fight to recover from his wounds, traumatic brain injury and PTSD. 

Waking up from sedation he cannot remember the last 12 months of his life, blotting out meeting and marrying his wife, Sky. The more she tries to be there for him the more he pushes her away seeking solace in broken relationship with his ex as it's the only one he can remember. 

Fighting to save her marriage and help her husband recover from both physical and mental scars of war Sky has to find away to cope and overcome. With the support of her in-laws, Nick's uncle, his doctor and family she comes up with an idea to see her through his recovery and to help others like him 

Inspired by memories of her grandfather and how he channelled his undiagnosed PTSD into his garden she sets out to create somewhere for recovering service men to go, to assist in their recovery and create a place of beauty to share with their families. 

Constantly challenged by Nick's demanding ex-girlfriend, Rebecca and Nick's ever-changing condition. She finds hope and encouragement in the garden and those who rally round to help. 

As Nick presses on with his life and decides marrying Rebecca is his only way forward, Sky has to find a way to move on, be that with handsome police officer Joe or on her own. 

Can the beauty of the garden she creates heal her husband’s wounds and bring him home to her forever? 

Now the book is out and published, the story isn't finished - it's now become a charity which aims to build a Poppy Garden to support service personnel. 

The Poppy Garden Appeal

You can find more about Claire and her writing on her website by clicking on the following links:

Website   Blog  Blog  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Amazon UK

My thanks to Claire for spending time with us today and for telling us about the background to her novel. Jaffa nd I wish you continued success with your Poppy Garden venture.

I hope that you have enjoyed this Close to Home Feature

Coming next week : Barbara Copperthwaite

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